Chapter 94 Good Thing We’re Not Playing Poker
Good Thing We're Not Playing Poker
Ryder
Sometimes, Maddox could be a real pain in the ass. He leaned back against the credenza and shoved his hands into his front pockets like we were discussing the weather. "Hey, I said I'd find her."
His dark hair was neat as usual, and he wore a tailored charcoal suit. Behind him, the windows stretched to the ceiling, revealing the Chicago skyline and city below.
I gave him a look. "Yeah. And tell me when you did."
With something like a shrug, he replied, "I don't recall you saying that."
Fucking seriously? To think, I'd thought he'd been doing me a favor. And yeah, he had – keeping an eye on Carver until the guy self-destructed.
But as far as finding Delaney, Maddox had given me nothing good.
And now, he waltzes into my office – past the assistant who stops everyone without an appointment, straight onto the thick rug that muffled every sound, and leans there like he owns the place.
And what does he say?
He tells me, calm as you please, that he's had eyes on Delaney for weeks.
At something in my stare, he said, "Look, you said her sister was worried, and I promised to keep an eye out." Something in his tone shifted. "Which I did."
"And?"
"And what?"
I made a sound of frustration. "So, where is she?"
"Here in the city."
"Where in the city?"
Being Maddox, he naturally turned the tables. "Does it matter?"
Of course it mattered. The whole time I'd been with Tessa, the thing with Delaney had been grit in the gears, making things harder than necessary, especially for Tessa.
Tessa. At just the thought of her, something tightened in my chest. It had been two weeks since I'd walked away, and the suck-o-meter was running hot, making it hard to work, harder to sleep, and hard as hell to pretend things were normal.
Maddox wasn't helping.
Of course, he was more helpful than Griff, who was happier than a kid on summer break – not here in Chicago, but back on Mackinac Island.
But hey, at least someone was happy.
Not me.
And I was even less happy when Maddox said, "I'll take that as a no."
"What?"
"I asked if it mattered. You said nothing. So I'll take it as a no."
"It might not matter to me," I said. "But it matters to her sister. She deserves an answer."
"And you want to be the one to give it to her."
"Bullshit," I said. "We're not even talking."
He gave me a penetrating look. "But you want to."
"I never said that."
"You don't have to. I can read it all over your face." He gave a light scoff. "Good thing we're not playing poker. I'd be cleaning you out."
"Fuck poker," I said. "Tell me where she is."
"Sorry, that wasn't part of the deal." He didn't look sorry. He looked almost sympathetic, which somehow made it worse.
I shook my head. "You really are an asshole sometimes, you know that?"
"I do, which is why you called me in the first place." The corner of his mouth lifted. "So hey, you're welcome."
And with that, he pushed off the credenza, straightened his cuffs, and headed for the door like the conversation had officially ended.
Fine.
I didn't want a reason to call Tessa, anyway.
What I wanted was to know why I couldn't seem to let her go.